Friday, September 2, 2011

Joint Fall Workshop with LDS in Grande Prairie

On Friday evening, and during the day on Saturday (September 9th and 10th, 2011), there will be a Joint Fall Workshop with LDS Church and Grande Prairie & District Branch, Grande Prairie, Manitoba.

It will feature Peter & Linda Darby, and they will give talks about “Organizing Your Files”, “Online Maps/Gazetteers”, and “Mining Gold”.

Go to their website at http://gp.abgensoc.ca/workshop.html

Prince Edward Island Card Index

The Prince Edward Island Baptisms (1721-1885), Marriage (1832-1888) and the Death (1721-1905) Card Index browsable images are slowly going online at FamilySearch.org.

There are 92,700 Baptisms images as of 25 August 2010, and they are available at
https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/show#uri=http://hr-search-api:8080/searchapi/search/collection/1827217

There are 3,428 images as of 31 August 2010 which can be found at https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/show#uri=http://hr-search-api:8080/searchapi/search/collection/1827167 and,


the Death Card Index has 15,903 Index images as of 31 August 2010 with the website at https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/show#uri=http://hr-search-api:8080/searchapi/search/collection/1827236.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

De-Mystifying Lineage Societies

The Ottawa Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society, and the Sir Guy Carleton Branch of the United Empire Loyalists Association of Canada are pleased to offer a one-day workshop on De-Mystifying Lineage Societies.

This workshop will provide some history on lineage societies, as well as discussion of the resources, hints and techniques for completing successful applications along with an opportunity for research with local experts.

Societies highlighted will be the Mayflower Society, Daughters and Sons of the American Revolution, United Empire Loyalists’ Association of Canada and the Ontario Genealogical Society Heritage Societies.

It will be held on the 29 Oct 2011 10:00 am to 5:00 pm at the City of Ottawa Central Archives, 100 Tallwood Drive, Ottawa, Ontario.

Following the presentations, registrants will be able to research in the City Archives Reference Room.

The presentations will be made by -

De-Mystifying Lineage Societies: Mike More and Dorothy Meyerhof

Researching in Military Records: Glenn Wright

Using Ancestry: Lesley Anderson

The cost will be $30.00 per person, and payment must accompany registration form.

Registration is limited, and the Deadline for Registration: 21 October 2011

Please make cheques payable to “OTTAWA BRANCH, OGS”

For registration form, please go to http://ogsottawa.on.ca/?cat=8, or contact the OGS at pastchair@ogsottawa.on.ca

English Family History Workshop

The English Family History workshop will be co-sponsored by the Toronto Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society, and the Canadiana Department of North York Central Library, and will be held Saturday 5 November 2011.

It will feature speakers John D. Reid, a blooger at http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.com/, and Lesley Anderson at Ancesrry.ca both are from the Ottawa area. Paul Jones, Jane E. MacNamara and Linda Reid are from Toronto, and will join them in presenting the workshop.

Find out from the experts how to make the most of parish, probate and manorial records, how to track your English ancestors through newspapers, directories and gazetteers and how to use Canadian and British records together to put the puzzle pieces in place.

The early bird registration deadline is 14 October 2011 and OGS members enjoy special rates.

For program and registration details, see http://www.torontofamilyhistory.org/English2011.html.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Icelandic Emigration Center at Hofsos, Iceland

It has been 15 years since the Icelandic Emigration Center opened. Is is estimated that between 20 to 25% of the total population of Iceland emigrated to North America in the early 1900s.

Nelson Gerrard, a write from Eyrarbakki, Manitoba has been in Iceland this summer assisting in answering genealogical inquiries, and in helping at putting together exhibits at the Emigration Center.

He specializes in recording the history of Icelandic emigrants in North America, and his books include Icelandic River Saga and The Icelandic Heritage, and he is currently researching Gimlunga Saga, a 3-volume history of pioneers in the Gimli area.

The museum is at http://en.hofsos.is/, and their email is hofsos@hofsos.is

In Canada, Gimli, Manitoba was where many of the Icelandic people settled, and there is the New Iceland Heritage Museum (NIHM). It was founded in Gimli in 1973.

There is archival photos and local history research material, free audio tours, and there is the Gimli Webcam.

Go to the website http://nihm.ca/museum/about.html. You can contact them at nihm@mts.net



Free Access - Canadian Immigration Records

Just got notice this morning that Ancestry.ca is announcing FREE online access to 200-million immigration records.

The access is from right now to Sept 5th!

The press release says that “This unprecedented access will allow Canadians to 200 million immigration and travel records from around the world, including 13.5 million records specific to Canada. This includes the complete Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935, the official records of the arrival of the majority of people accepted as immigrants in Canada during this key immigration period".

They also say that “An estimated 11.6 million Canadians or 37 per cent of its current population have ancestors included in this collection[, which also includes records for many vacationers and travellers, business people, crew members and historical figures such as foreign leaders, scientists and celebrities”.

Go to http://www.ancestry.ca/immigration

The Buxton Homecoming Weekend

Buxton National Historic Site & Museum located in North Buston, Ontario will be holding their 14th Annual US/Canadian History Genealogy Conference on Friday Sept 2nd.

The event will be co-hosted by The Harriet Tubman Institute of York University & Buxton Historical Society, and there will be a full day of lectures.

There will be a youth panel, and genealogists such as Adrienne Shadd, Henry Natasha, and Irene Moore Davis will be there giving lectures and answering your questions.

Pre-registration is required

To find out more about the activities that will take place at The Buxton Homecoming from Friday to Monday (Sept 2 to the 5th) go to http://www.buxtonmuseum.com/hcoming/hc-event.html